Pandelela Rinong sprained her knee during a training session in Guangzhou, China.
PETALING JAYA: Top Malaysian diver Pandelela Rinong will head to Glasgow for the defence of her Commonwealth Games gold medal in less than perfect physical condition after picking up a knee injury.
It is not comforting news at all for the Malaysian contingent preparing for the Glasgow Games from July 23-Aug 3, coming less than a week after the withdrawal of world No. 1 shuttler Lee Chong Wei due to a thigh injury.
Pandelela, who won the women’s 10m platform gold at the 2010 Games in New Delhi, sprained her knee during training in Guangzhou, China, on Tuesday. The national squad are currently based there as they are also preparing for the FINA Diving World Cup in Shanghai from July 15-20.
“Pandelela injured her knee during training and the coach (Yang Zhuliang) took her to hospital as a precaution and to check on her condition.
“The good thing is the X-ray did not show any broken bones, but she needs time to heal,” said Edwin Chong, the secretary of the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM).
Pandelela, the bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, will skip pool training for the next few days. With two important assignments looming, the ASUM are keeping theirs fingers crossed that she can regain full fitness.
The diving competition at the Games will only start from July 30-Aug 4, but it remains to be seen whether Pandelela will recover in time to face her challengers.
Besides defending the 10m platform title, the 21-year-old Sarawakian will also take part in two other events. She will partner Leong Mun Yee in the 10m platform synchro and Cheong Jun Hoong in the 3m springboard synchro.
Pandelela-Mun Yee clinched the silver in the 10m platform synchro at the 2010 Games in New Delhi.
The other women divers in the Games squad are Wendy Ng, Loh Zhiayi, Traisy Vivien Tukiet and Nur Dhabitah Sabri. The male divers are Ooi Tze Liang, Chew Yiwei and Ahmad Amsyar Azman.
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